NEWS
IN BRIEF
Clariant exits JV
Clariant is to divest its 50 % stake in Scientific Design Company after its joint venture partner , Sabic , executed a call option . The stake has been valued at $ 130 million , assuming the deal closes in mid-2022 . New Jerseybased Scientific Design supplies catalysts and equipment for the production of ethylene oxide ( EO ), ethylene glycol ( EG ), bio-ethylene , bio-EO , bio-EG , EO derivatives , polyols and maleic anhydride .
Novasep in Pfizer COVID API deal
IMCD buys in Brazil
IMCD ’ s Brazilian has acquired Polyorganic Tecnologia , a São Paulo-based distributor . Polyorganic is mainly active in the HI & I market , with some activity in the water treatment industry and other industrial markets . In 2021 , it had sales of € 12 million , with 23 employees and an HI & I laboratory in Diadema .
Sterling expands in US
Sterling Pharma Solutions has commenced a $ 2.1 million expansion project to increase chemical and analytical capabilities at its facility in Cary , North Carolina . The work should be completed by the end of 2022 and will create up to 20 new jobs . This will include five new laboratories : two for R & D , one for scaling up chemical synthesis and others for QC and analytical services .
Tertiary amine expansion
Eastman ’ s care additives business has completed a significant expansion of tertiary amine production , primarily DIMLA 1214 , via an increase in capacity at Ghent , Belgium , and an improved production flow at Pace , Florida , which will become the world ' s largest unit this field . Tertiary amines are used to bring functionality to various surfactants used in home care products , plus other industrial applications .
Paxlovid API production will take place at Mourenx
Novasep has signed a letter of intent to supply the API for Pfizer ’ s Paxlovid , an oral protease inhibitor against COVID-19 that has shown a positive impact on hospitalisation among atrisk patients in clinical trials . Technical transfer , on-site development and equipment installation have begun at the Mourenx facility in France , which is expected to be incorporated into the supply chain by Q3 . The company , which has been a long-time supplier to Pfizer , is planning to recruit more than 40 additional employees dedicated to this project . Further expansion to other Novasep facilities and significantly increased volumes are expected in 2023 . CEO Dr Michel Spagnol said that the contract “ validates our investment strategy for several years and our focus on small molecules ”. The company has also extended its five-year agreement with biotech Paratek Pharmaceuticals for the commercial production of the API in Nuzyra ( omadacycline ). This is an antibiotic for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections in adults .
The API was originally produced at Novasep ’ s site at Boothwyn , Pennsylvania , and later transferred to the Chasse-sur-Rhône facility in France for further scale-up , validation and cGMP manufacturing , based partly on large-scale HPLC . Some production will continue here but the final step will be conducted at the Leverkusen site from in 2023 to address increased volume requirements . Separately , Novasep has completed the sale of its chromatography equipment division to Sartorius Stedim Biotech , after all the regulatory approvals had been obtained . The deal was agreed at the beginning of 2021 . Novasep regarded the division as noncore , given its prioritisation of CDMO activities , which will continue to offer chromatography as a key service . The division makes resin-based batch and intensified chromatography systems , focusing on low and high pressure for small and large molecules . It had sales of around € 40 million in 2020 at a double-digit profit margin . Most of its 100 employees concerned work mainly on Novasep ’ s Pompey site in eastern France and some in the US , China and India .
8 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981